Starbucks Molten Chocolate Latte Review: Does It Taste Good?

If you think the popular coffee chain’s Pumpkin Spice Latte has a short lifespan, wait until you get a load of their limited-edition drinks for Valentine’s Day. Available for one week only, each of the three beverages promises the taste of a chocolate lava cake. Since we’re all coffee lovers here at The Cheat Sheet and because it’s winter, I tasted the hot latte.

Starbucks: Molten Chocolate Latte

This drink is all about celebrating Valentine’s Day, so it’s only available through February 14. This also means it completely revolves around chocolate. Starbucks’ description of the latte reads, “chocolaty chips are melted into espresso, then topped with steamed milk combined with bittersweet mocha sauce.” Instead of the usual topping, this drink gets “mocha and espresso-infused whipped cream and an espresso-mocha drizzle.” It certainly sounds enticing.

In New York City, the 12-ounce size costs $4.45 and contains 350 calories, 16 grams of fat, and 34 grams of sugar. In short, it won’t be winning any healthy food contests. Maybe it’s better if you consider this a dessert instead of a drink.

Taste Test

Christine Skopec/Culture Cheat Sheet

Removing the lid revealed the promised, if not slightly stingy, pile of whipped cream and drizzle of mocha sauce. The first sip was disappointingly lukewarm and bland, with no discernible coffee flavor. Even the chocolate was pretty subdued. I dipped a straw into the fluffy topping to sample it alone and, again, didn’t taste much flavor. There were some slightly bitter coffee notes, but not much else. The most flavorful part of the entire drink was the last sip because most of the melted chocolate remained at the bottom.

Should You Buy It?

Christine Skopec/Culture Cheat Sheet

If you’re looking for a coffee beverage, this isn’t the drink for you. It’s more like a mild hot chocolate than anything else, so you’re probably better off sticking to your usual brew. On the other hand, it’s fun to try. Just don’t expect to be floored by flavor.